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Author Topic: NANY 2009 Release: Fried Babelfish  (Read 79014 times)

app103

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NANY 2009 Release: Fried Babelfish
« on: December 31, 2008, 11:22 PM »
NANY 2009 Entry Information

Application Name Fried Babelfish
Version 1.0.8 (updated 2009-02-09) (No longer works)
Short Description tabbed translator
Supported OSes Win-all
Download Link * FriedBabelfish.zip (325.53 kB - downloaded 25228 times.) This no longer works but I am keeping the download available due to the fact that the source is included and this part may still be of interest to someone.
System Requirements
  • A Windows based PC with some form of IE installed (not sure if it works with pre-IE5)
Version HistoryCurrent version:

1.0.8

+ Added 7 new languages:
  • Albanian
  • Estonian
  • Galician
  • Hungarian
  • Maltese
  • Thai
  • Turkish

Previous versions:
1.0.7
  • 1.0.7 - This has sort of been an ongoing coding game between the 2 developers, and there have been too many versions to count, with the GUI in various languages from ibasic, VB, and finally Delphi, with the most significant change in this version being a switch from using Babelfish's translation engine to using Google's.

Author Krishean (translation script) and app103 (GUI)


Description
When you are using online translators in your web browser, it's not that convenient to have to keep switching the languages back & forth to translate an ongoing conversation between 2 people. It is also kind of clunky to have a full browser window with toolbars and extensions getting in your way. And most browsers lack a feature to keep the window on top of all others.

Originally, Fried Babelfish was powered by Babelfish and served as mini ad free version if their translator. But with this release, it might still carry a bit of the old Babelfish look, but it has been completely rewritten and is now powered by Google's translator.

Features
  • 2 tabs - one for your language and one for a second language
  • a button to set the window to stay on top
  • Full source is included.

Planned Features
we are not entirely sure

Screenshots
SNAG-00025.png

Usage
Installation
Just unzip and run. It will need access to the internet to fetch translations from Google, so you'll need to give it permission in your firewall.

Using the Application
select your 2 languages on the first tab, type in the text to be translated in the top box, click the translate button. use the 2nd tab for a 2nd language pair. Click the button on the top left to toggle between on top & normal.

Uninstallation
Just delete it.

Known Issues
Due to Google discontinuing their translation API, this application will stop working on December 1, 2011. (sorry, out of my control)
« Last Edit: September 17, 2012, 08:52 AM by app103 »

cranioscopical

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Re: NANY 2009 Release: Fried Babelfish
« Reply #1 on: December 31, 2008, 11:44 PM »
Thank you!

tomos

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Re: NANY 2009 Release: Fried Babelfish
« Reply #2 on: January 01, 2009, 11:49 AM »
looking forward to trying this out :)
Tom

lanux128

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Re: NANY 2009 Release: Fried Babelfish
« Reply #3 on: January 02, 2009, 10:05 PM »
this program has a lot of potential.. good work, app & Krishean. :up:

Perry Mowbray

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Re: NANY 2009 Release: Fried Babelfish
« Reply #4 on: January 06, 2009, 02:33 AM »
I finally had time and opportunity to give this programme a work out last night  :Thmbsup:

I agree with lanux!! Just a couple of thoughts:
  • I'd appreciate a keyboard shortcut for the Translate button, or because the Enter key is not passed through to the text box, maybe the Enter Key could perform the Translate?. I found it awkward typing short chat messages and having to dive off for the mouse.
  • Also appreciate a button and keyboard shortcut to select all translated text and copy to clipboard. Or could after the Translated Text is entered, it also puts it on the Clipboard?
  • I'd like a keyboard shortcut to swap the Tabs as well.

The German person I was chatting with said that the German to English translations were much better than the English to German (but I presume that's Google).

Thanks!! Great little Application!  :Thmbsup: :Thmbsup:

psionics

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Re: NANY 2009 Release: Fried Babelfish
« Reply #5 on: January 10, 2009, 03:11 AM »
Thank You Sir!!!  :Thmbsup: This is a great application and very portable too!

app103

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Re: NANY 2009 Release: Fried Babelfish
« Reply #6 on: January 12, 2009, 02:03 PM »
@Perry:

I have some ideas for the next stage of this "game" that you may love, especially if you are using this with any sort of chat application.

I can't really reveal too many details right now, and I have no ETA to give you as to hint to when you can expect it, but it's something I have been wanting to do with this application for a long time (almost since the beginning)

Here is a hint: A long time ago, Martin wrote a little tool that was the very first official release for my programming group (the app doesn't work any more  :(). My chatroom has been down for a long time, we need a whole brand new site, and I'd love it if something VERY similar to what Martin made could be the first new release when we officially "reboot" the group. (it's a nostalgia thing)

Not to fear...if you are in love with this application the way it is, I won't pull it down. It will remain available.

This rewrite will just be the next round in the little "translator game" that's been going on for the last 3 years.

Perry Mowbray

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Re: NANY 2009 Release: Fried Babelfish
« Reply #7 on: January 16, 2009, 02:24 AM »
Well, that's exciting (in a non-ETA way): I look forward to it  :-*

app103

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Re: NANY 2009 Release: Fried Babelfish
« Reply #8 on: February 09, 2009, 01:25 AM »
UPDATED: 1.0.8

Added 7 new languages:
  • Albanian
  • Estonian
  • Galician
  • Hungarian
  • Maltese
  • Thai
  • Turkish

lanux128

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Re: NANY 2009 Release: Fried Babelfish
« Reply #9 on: November 13, 2009, 06:18 AM »
if you're still working on this project, could you kindly take a look at this problem i'm having with enlarged fonts size? fyi, my system font size is 96 DPI (Normal size).


app103

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Re: NANY 2009 Release: Fried Babelfish
« Reply #10 on: November 13, 2009, 08:15 AM »
I'll look into this and see what I can do.

lanux128

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Re: NANY 2009 Release: Fried Babelfish
« Reply #11 on: November 13, 2009, 08:39 AM »
I'll look into this and see what I can do.
thanks app. :)


  • I'd appreciate a keyboard shortcut for the Translate button, or because the Enter key is not passed through to the text box, maybe the Enter Key could perform the Translate?. I found it awkward typing short chat messages and having to dive off for the mouse.
  • Also appreciate a button and keyboard shortcut to select all translated text and copy to clipboard. Or could after the Translated Text is entered, it also puts it on the Clipboard?
  • I'd like a keyboard shortcut to swap the Tabs as well.

+1 for this request. after a while the lack of keyboard shortcuts was quite glaring and i made myself a crude ahk script. maybe someone can improve on this.

#IfWinActive Fried Babelfish ahk_class TForm1
^Tab:: ; Control+Tab switches tabs
WinGetActiveStats, getTitle, width, height, x, y
center_x:=((x+width)-x)/2
center_y:=((y+height)-y)/2
ControlGetText, GetText, TTabSheet1
IfEqual, GetText, Your Language to Theirs
  {
  ControlFocus, TPageControl1,,,,
  Send, {Right 2}
  }
Else IfEqual, GetText, Their Language to Yours
  {
  ControlFocus, TPageControl1,,,,
  Send, {Left 2}
  }
MouseMove,center_x,center_y-20,
Click ; click on the typing area
Return
^Enter:: ; Control+Enter hits the 'translate button'
  Send, {Tab 4}
  Send, {Space 2}
Return
#IfWinActive

app103

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Re: NANY 2009 Release: Fried Babelfish
« Reply #12 on: November 13, 2009, 06:06 PM »
The truth is, this is an html file loaded in a browser object and I don't know how to do that yet. If I ever figure out how, I'll be able to do more than just add a hotkey for enter.







lanux128

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Re: NANY 2009 Release: Fried Babelfish
« Reply #13 on: November 13, 2009, 10:04 PM »
i noticed it too. since it's a browser-instance, i just simulated the keystrokes in the ahk script.

app103

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Re: NANY 2009 Release: Fried Babelfish
« Reply #14 on: May 28, 2011, 04:40 PM »
Due to Google discontinuing their translation API, this application will stop working on December 1, 2011. (sorry, out of my control  :()

BigJim

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Re: NANY 2009 Release: Fried Babelfish
« Reply #15 on: May 29, 2011, 10:05 AM »
Crap! :( I use Fried Babelfish regularly and love it. Bummer. But thanks for all that it's done for me in the past. Ford Prefect will not be pleased about this either.
TruckerJim says "You can go down a hill too slow a thousand times. But too fast only once."

app103

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Re: NANY 2009 Release: Fried Babelfish
« Reply #16 on: May 29, 2011, 10:21 AM »
Nobody is more upset by this news than myself. I happen to be a big user of this app, too. Krish and I made this because I had a personal need for it.

I'll see what I can do to cook up something to replace Fried Babelfish, but no promises that I will be able to, or if I can that it will be "pretty".

I think worse than Fried Babelfish not working after Dec. 1, is Translatorize, which has torn down the language barrier on Friendfeed, allowing everyone to post in their native language, yet we can all have a conversation together in real time, with all parts automatically translated to our native language, whatever that may be. It's an awesome script that uses the same API.

I have about 30 people I am subscribed to on Friendfeed that I won't be able to easily understand any more.

borisbcs

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Re: NANY 2009 Release: Fried Babelfish
« Reply #17 on: August 17, 2011, 10:35 AM »
It's a good idea, and simple :-)